Patrick's Personal Card Ch. 02

"Well, I guess this is where I should say sorry for not letting you know earlier. But I didn't expect to win your heart so fast, my darling. So then, the fact is that I'm on leave all of February. If the hospital was able to offer Michael treatment, the only way it would work was to move to London. The company which employs me has a main branch over here, and they have a position open. I have to go to the office in London tomorrow and meet with my future boss and discuss matters. The plan was that I'd spend the rest of the month looking for a place to live and organizing everything."

Patrick's mouth fell open halfway through this explanation. He couldn't believe his own ears and just stared at Peter. The blond guy chuckled and made his move. Suddenly Patrick was sitting in his lover's lap, trying to ignore a suspiciously large bulge under his butt, while Peter nuzzled his neck and hugged him tight. "You didn't really think that I'd leave the love of my life, when I'd just found him and gotten him to agree to be mine, did you Patrick?" A large warm hand moved slowly up and down Patrick's back, and he felt himself relax into the embrace of his boyfriend.

Wait a minute, boyfriend, the word just came out of nowhere. But he knew that Peter would be happy to call him that too. However, there was an even more important matter, and Patrick frowned in concern and turned to look at Peter. "But what about Michael? Who will look after him? You can't drag him around with you, and he's too young to be here on his own." Patrick didn't even mention the third impossible option, because he knew that Michael's health wasn't up to being exposed to the shop during normal opening hours. For the first time Peter looked unsure of himself.

"Ehm yes, that's actually the bit I'm not sure how to tell you. My mother's sister is a retired nurse. She has two grown children, but no grandchildren yet, and she's very fond of Michael. Her son Kim is my age, he works for an engineering company and travels all over the world. His sister Alice is twenty-four and very beautiful. She's a model and plans to move to London this summer. So Moster Grethe offered to come over here and look after Michael." The name Peter said sounded strange, but Patrick ignored it for now. Did this mean that the three Danes would live together? Somewhere else? He didn't want to be alone anymore.

"So this Moshta Greita, or whatever her name is, when is she coming over?" Peter chuckled and explained that Moster was a Danish word that meant aunt as in mother's sister. A father's sister was called Faster. A third word was Tante and this was used for aunts by marriage but lots of people also used it for all kinds of aunts. When he tried to go on explaining that uncles and grandparents also had different designations according to how they were related to you, Patrick realized that he was being distracted. "OK, fine, so when is your Moster arriving?"

"Ah, mm, tomorrow." Peter's answer was almost inaudible but in the silence of the living room Patrick heard him anyway.

"What?! She's arriving tomorrow, and you haven't told me?" Patrick jumped up and started pacing up and down. "What on earth were you thinking, Peter? Where is she going to stay? Does she know about..." He stopped and gulped, the scaring thought of meeting a close relative of Peter's so soon had suddenly hit him. Almost as bad as meeting a prospective mother-in-law! Patrick winced a bit at the recollection of the times he'd rolled his eyes in exasperation over yet another story or movie where this was depicted as a big deal. It bloody well was! What if she disliked him? Did she even know Peter was gay? Or was it bisexual?

Patrick's mind was running round in circles, and every time he tried to get a grip, a new worry presented itself. He could almost hear his devil of doubt howling with laughter at the back of his head. The next time he turned around to pace the other way, a large Viking blocked his path. "Patrick, please stop fretting, it will be OK, I promise." Two strong arms pulled him into a protective hug, and the nervous man let himself be soothed. "Shh, min skat, calm down now. Relax, I love you, I'm here." Soft kisses on his hair, his forehead, his temple, cheek. A warm hand cupping the side of his jaw, gently tilting his head up until their lips met.

The two first kisses they'd shared in the shop had just been connections of mouths and hands. This time their bodies touched all over and Patrick was quite unprepared for the bonfire of desire which roared to life inside him, as Peter claimed his lips. He was instantly erect and his knees threatened to buckle. His mind was blank, all the worries erased, as his whole being focused on the man he loved and wanted more than anything. It was only when Peter broke their kiss and gently led him back to the sofa that Patrick realized he'd been clinging to the broad shoulders and almost-but-not-quite rubbing himself against the blond hunk.

Rather than dwell on his embarrassing lack of control just from a couple of kisses, Patrick tried to recapture his sense of outrage. But Peter kept calming him with words and touches. Nothing sexual to the relief of the nervous card maker, just little rubs of his shoulder and back, a gentle squeeze of his hand, the occasional quick kiss on his fingers. And all the time the deep, soothing voice. "Please Patrick, I can't stand it when you're hurt or worried. I'm sorry if I upset you. What can I do to make it better? I love you and I want us to be together. Even if Michael didn't need it, I'd have moved over here to stay with you. Unless you didn't want me...us to. Is that the problem? I know we've just sort of invaded your life and house and your privacy and..."

Oh no, Peter was NOT allowed to worry about that or lose his confidence. The moment he sensed the flicker of uncertainty, Patrick forgot about being shy and needy and a silly horny virgin. He climbed back in the lap of his lover and kissed him senseless. When he finally stopped, Peter stared at his cute Valentine, speechless and with huge, surprised eyes. "Stop it, you crazy Dane. Of course I want you and Michael here. I'm never letting you go, and I don't care if you invite your whole family. As long as they're OK with us being together." The unspoken question was easily detectable.

A huge smile spread all over Peter's face, and Patrick felt as if the sun had suddenly come out and made everything bright and warm and joyful. Or maybe gay was a better word; he felt a giggle start inside him. "Of course my family knows about you, about us. Oh they think I'm slightly mad for falling in love so fast, but they know I'm serious -- and that I like men. Even if I've never had a committed relationship before, I haven't hidden my preference." Suddenly Peter blushed, "That sort of became impossible, after Moster Grethe walked in on me and Kim fooling around when we were teenagers."

The giggle broke out; Patrick couldn't help it, even if he felt a little jealous of the thought of Peter being with other men. But his angel of faith was gloating over the suddenly tiny and mute devil in his head 'Did you hear that? His first serious commitment? He's never loved anyone like that before, either.' Patrick wanted to yell his utter delight out loud. He was Peter's first too. So what if his lover had sex before, that just meant they wouldn't both be fumbling around not knowing what to do. Oh and speaking of which, something hard was poking him intimately down below.

Much to Patrick's surprise Peter ignored the fact that his lover squirmed invitingly and tried to lean in for more kissing. The look in his eyes was heated but determined as he carefully eased the smaller man off his lap and on to the sofa. "Patrick min skat, jeg ... ah I mean sorry my love but I can't think when you're sitting on top of me. You're just too beautiful and delicious and I want you so much. But we need to talk." In the romances Patrick loved to read on the internet those words normally had an ominous meaning. But he knew Peter just wanted to finish his explanation. So he decided to tease a bit.

"What's this with calling me poo? You trying to give me at hint of some sort of weird fetish?" Another giggle broke out as Peter's jaw dropped and he stared at Patrick in utter confusion. He knew he was being rather ridiculous but it felt so good to let go and just fool around, secure in the knowledge that he was loved and wanted. Somewhere in the back of his mind Patrick's logical brain told him that he was a bit over the top, probably running high on endorphins and hormones, but that his reaction was only natural after being lonely for so long. "You know what scat means, don't you?"

Peter shook his head and Patrick explained, giggling again when his handsome Dane got all flustered and prudish. Peter looked funny when he made disgusted eewww-like faces. Both of them started laughing and then they kissed and Patrick snuggled into the firm shoulder and smiled up at his Valentine. The blue eyes looked at him with such fondness and pleasure that it almost took Patrick's breath away. "The Danish word skat means treasure, but I guess 'min skat' would be translated as my darling. I'll try hard not to use it again. It just sort of slipped out."

Patrick pouted: "But I love it when you call me darling or sweetheart. Please don't stop." This caused another small bout of kissing and touching, but Peter wisely kept the making out light and sensual rather than intimate. It was as if he knew that they might've gotten naked and naughty on the sofa, if the love starved innocent man in his arms let go of all his inhibitions. Instead Patrick ended up sitting in Peter's embrace, with his back against the broad chest and his head leaning on the firm shoulder. His lover kept planting small kisses on his cheek and ear as he finished explaining.

"My Moster is arriving tomorrow at nine, and originally she was meant to go to the hotel and look after Michael there. Instead of that I've booked a room for her at the pub. I noticed that they have a building next door with two family rooms and a few single rooms. I'll take Michael over there, and they can go for a walk if the weather is nice. Or Grethe might read him a story; I know she'll bring the next book in the series we're reading." Peter stopped and nuzzled his nose against Patrick's hair, obviously waiting for a reaction.

Patrick decided to see what else Peter had up his sleeve and just mumbled an OK in reply. His distraction and acceptance had nothing to do with the fact that he was being cuddled and kissed, no certainly not -- even if he had a hard time imagining objecting to anything his hunky Dane suggested. "So after my interview I thought maybe we could come by your shop. And if you've time, I could take you all out for a meal?" A deep breath and a little tension in the warm body behind him told Patrick that Peter wanted to ask a favor. "I'd really like you to meet my aunt, Patrick. I think the two of you will like each other."

Interestingly, Patrick could sense that Peter genuinely thought that his aunt would be fond of his new boyfriend. He felt less certain but still quite convinced that Patrick would appreciate his Moster. Clearest of all was his desire for Patrick to be part of his family, not just him and his son, but his extended family, and his belief that they'd welcome Patrick with open arms. Even if their relationship meant that Peter would relocate to London permanently and not just until Michael was well. For some reason this idea made tears well up and one or two managed to escape.

Patrick's voice was thick with emotion, but he knew he had to respond. "I'd love to meet your aunt, Peter." He tried to get a grip on himself, but a muffled sniff gave him away. Moments later his face was buried in the soft warm sweater, Peter was wearing, and the worried Dane tried to comfort him while working out what his love was saying. "Not sad ... I'm OK." Sniff "Happy tears, not ... I'm just so glad ... nice family ..." Long shaking breath "Hate my aunts ... stupid uncles, awful cousins ..." Hard grip and small tremors "Love you, love you so much ... want you to stay ... always. Please Peter."

This time the ensuing kisses were long, fierce and needy, and when they broke off, both men were flushed and panting hard. Patrick felt as if he might burst from all the strong feelings that emanated from Peter. Not just physical desire, but protectiveness and caring and an almost possessive love. A love that demanded closeness and sharing and intimacy, but in a good way, not with jealousy or one-way ownership. Peter ached to belong to Patrick, body, heart and soul, just as much as he longed for Patrick to be his. This was the moment the two silly beings in his head decided to join forces and pop the inevitable question: 'So you reckon he's versatile, then?'

The deliciously hot possibility was just what Patrick needed to snap out of the emotional state he was in. He giggled and pushed himself upright to sit next to his boyfriend, taking a deep breath and reaching out for his mug for a few gulps of lukewarm tea. "Sorry about that, I'm a bit giddy today. Don't know why -- oh wait might be something to do with getting a boyfriend, and my first kiss, and a family, and ... and just having the best Valentine's Day and weekend ever -- even if I never got a card." A quick glance showed that Peter was smiling, oh good, he knew Patrick was teasing. "But next year I expect us to celebrate in style."

A deep joyful laugh and Peter caught his Valentine in another loving embrace. "Don't worry I'll pay homage to St. Valentine every year from now on, in gratitude for bringing us together. Cards, flowers, chocolate, any love token you want. We'll go out for a candlelit dinner, when you've finished at the shop, and come home to make love all night. And I hope there'll be a Valentine's Day very soon, where we'll promise each other to have and to hold, to love and to cherish... forever." Shining blue and brown eyes locked in mutual exchange of love and devotion, and the deal was sealed with one last kiss of a wonderful Sunday.

*

Translation of Danish phrases, in case you want to know:

"Shh, Michael, far er her. Se min skat, vi er stadig her i Patricks butik. Sådan, rolig nu. Er du OK? Vil du have noget vand?" = Shh, Michael, daddy's here. Look darling we're still in Patrick's shop. There now, take it easy. Are you OK? Would you like some water?

"Hvor sover Patrick henne?" = Where does Patrick sleep?

"Hov, hov, Michael, det er ikke nogen trampolin." = Hey now, Michael, it's not a trampoline.

"min for evigt" = mine for ever

"Ja, det kan du tro. Skal jeg spørge?" = You bet I do. Would you like me to ask?

"Shh, min skat" = Shh my dear / darling

"Patrick min skat, jeg..." = Patrick my dear, I...